


Bedrolls and Beginnings - SFW

by espark



Series: Yadakk romance [1]
Category: The Battle of Polytopia (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Misunderstandings, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:01:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25253518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/espark/pseuds/espark
Summary: Nea ran her hands over the stolen blanket. She imagined that the soft brown fabric wasn’t wool, but skin, tanned skin with supple muscles underneath. Pressing her face into the worn cloth, Nee took a deep breath, drinking in the smell of spice and sweat. It was all she would have to remember him by.First part is safe for work; second part has sexy times.Inspired by thePolytopia discord community.
Series: Yadakk romance [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1829551
Kudos: 1





	Bedrolls and Beginnings - SFW

Nea ran her hands over the stolen blanket. She imagined that the soft brown fabric wasn’t wool, but skin, tanned skin with supple muscles underneath. Pressing her face into the worn cloth, Nee took a deep breath, drinking in the smell of spice and sweat. It was all she would have to remember him by.

The braying of her khamelk outside the yurt reminded her that it was time to join the caravan. This season she was old enough to travel the Lydabiian Plains to trade with distant tribes. It was either that or take an apprenticeship in the city workshop. With her older brothers already traveling with the Palms caravan and her best friend joining the Nettles crew, she couldn’t bear to stay home.

Nea rolled up the blanket and stepped outside her family’s yurt. A chilly breeze swept across the steppe and the harsh dawn peaking over the distant hills did nothing to warm her. The Asdakoooian road outside her home swerved towards the city below, as if the road wasn’t sure which direction it wanted to go.

“Nee?” a familiar voice called from down the road. 

She turned to see her best friend, Pok, approaching. His family lived in the yurt across the road from hers.

Why was he coming now? It had hurt her enough to say goodbye to him yesterday. Nea had been proud that she’d kept her tone light, making jokes about the Nettles stench and how they kept warm in Bardur territory by sleeping with their khamelks. How she had lied and wished him well.

Nea quickly rolled up the precious blanket and strapped it behind her khamelk’s saddle with her other gear. As she finished rolling it up, she noticed a small yellow khizuz blossom embroidered in the bottom corner of the bed roll. Why hadn’t she seen that detail before? Who had sewn the delicate flower? It had clearly been made with love. Jealousy surged through her, but she shoved it and the blanket away. She didn’t have time to think about the tiny khizuz flower, or what it meant.

“I wasn’t sure I’d find you here,” Pok said, his face bright as the dawn. “Aren’t you supposed to be piling up with the Palms caravan now?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be riding off with the Nettles gang right now, sucking face with a khamelk?” She tried to keep her tone jovial, but it came out bitter. It still hurt when she remembered how he’d told her last month that he was leaving with the Nettles, abandoning her for adventure and profit.

“You don’t have to leave, Nee. I’m sure you could get a job in the sawmill.” The concern in his voice made her even more angry.

“Why should I stay?” she shot back. “Are you the only one who gets to travel with a caravan?”

He looked down at the hard clay ground, “I only meant... I wish…” Then he trailed off. He took a breath and looked back up at her. “Look, I came because I’m missing something.”

Nea’s breath caught in her throat and she swallowed hard. “Missing something?”

He ignored her jab and asked, “Yes, have you seen a bedroll? I can’t find mine”

Neas heart pounded in her chest but she forced her tone to be calm. “You lost your bedroll? What did you sleep in last night?”

“Well, that’s the strange thing. Someone swapped my blanket for a different one. I didn’t notice it until this morning, when I was packing.”

Nea couldn’t meet Pok’s face. She turned back to her yurt. “I can get you one from inside. I know we have a spare.”

“No, that’s alright, Nee.” Pok let out a sigh, “I appreciate it, but that blanket was special. My mother sewed a talisman into it to keep me safe.”

Shame tore through Nea. She hadn't expected Pok to notice that the blanket was missing or known that it was sacred to his family. What could she do? Would telling him the truth be worse than saying nothing at all?

Pok turned to go. “Thanks anyway. I’ll go ask about it at the Nettle’s camp. Maybe one of those stinking dogs took it as a prank. Road carry you, Nee.”

Nea wrung her hands and he took some steps towards the winding road. She couldn’t stand the guilt. She blurted out, “Wait.”

Quickly, before she might change her mind, Nea grabbed the stolen blanket and held it out. “I’m sorry, Pok. I didn’t know it was a gift from your mother.” She kept her gaze down, scared to look him in the eyes.

“Why’d you take it?” he asked, softly.

“I wanted something to remember you by. I may never see you again and I wanted it,” she paused, then whispered, “to sleep with, at night.”

A tear rolled down her cheek. She told herself it was only the chill wind of the stepps stinging her eyes.

“Nee, if you felt that way, why didn’t you say something?”

“Because you were leaving and …” her throat got tight but she pressed on, “I asked if there was room with the Nettles crew, but they wouldn’t …” She stopped, not wanting him to hear her cry.

“Joining a caravan doesn’t mean I’m leaving you. I would come back. But I thought that since you weren’t going to wait in the city for me, you’d rather be on your own.”

She looked up at him and blinked away her tears. The sound of the distant stream filled the space between them, the gentle rush of the water patient and steady. Pok looked worried, like the day he had dropped his fishing pole in the Pianpiian river and thought he’d never get it back. 

Nea gave him a weak smile, “So what do we do now?”

“Even if the Nettles are full, Palms always has extra room.” Pok said. “I’ll join up with them.”

Nea’s face creased with doubt. “But you always said the Nettles had the best economy.”

Pok shrugged, “Eh, Their economy hasn’t been growing like before. Rumor is they’re going to lose their connection to Bardur. If Palms can secure a trade route with Luxidoor, that would be a big win for the entire tribe. Also, everyone knows the Nettles smell like khamelk bung.”

Pok took a step closer and looked her in the eyes, “I’d much prefer to be with you.”

The heat of Pok’s gaze sent a thrill through her body, warming her to her core. Her shoulders relaxed and Nee felt a grin spread across her face. “So, you’re saying I smell better than khamelk bung?”

Pok took her hand, “How about we make a deal? You give me back my bed roll and one day, maybe, we can share it?” He pulled her hand to his lips, and gently pressed a kiss to her knuckle.

Nea couldn’t help herself. She reached up and pulled his face to hers. His kiss was hot and strong, like a summer thunderstorm on the Mebipoian plains that shook you to the core.

The braying of a bored khamelk eventually caught Nea’s attention and she pulled away. 

“Shall we head out with the caravan?”

“Yes, together.”


End file.
